Hat block



April 5, 1932. I J BUXBAUM 1,852,767

F1371 my. 2

a" W 1 i/ g I 3 5 I Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES JOSEPH BUXBAUM, OF'BROOKLYLL L TEW YORK HAT BLOCK Application filed October 15, 1930. Serial No. 488,767.

block at the lower front. The block l stands My invention relates to hat blocks such as are used in the making of hats, as distinguished from hat blocks used for display purposes.

5 Blocks used in the process of manufactur ing hats are usually made of soft wood, the prerequisites being that the block withstand the steaming which forms a part of the manufacturing process and that the block be soft 1 enough to be easily penetrable by ordinary pins used in adjusting the hat on the block. One other desideratum is missing from the hat blocks such as above described, namely, the simulation of the human head in order to .1 properly judge the ultimate effect of the hat When placed on the head of the actual wearer. The reason why standard hat blocks of the above character fail to embody the last mentioned desideratum is that the carving of a face on the wooden block entails much too high a cost to justify such a procedure. On the other hand, hat blocks embodying asimulation of the human head are made of a material which fails to meet the first two essential characteristics, that is to say, either the material does not withstand or is not suitable to withstand steaming, or it is not easily penetrable by ordinary pins. The purpose of the present invention is to produce a hat block 39 which embodies all three of the above specispectively, a front and a side elevation of a wooden hat block of standard design but with a portion cut away in front to form a recess. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a mask representing a human face. Figure 4 is a side elevation of the block shown in Figures 1 and 2, but with the mask of Figure 3 in position.

Referring to the figures in detail, 1 is a hat block, preferably of soft wood, although I do not wish to restrict myself to this par-' ticular material, any material having the characteristics of being able to withstand steaming and soft enough to be easily penetrable by ordinary pins being suitable for my purpose. In this block 1 is a recess 2 formed by cutting away a portion of the on any suitable pedestal, shown in the drawing as simulating the neck 3 of the figure. The mask 4, made of pressed wood pulp or papier-mach, is set into the recess 2 and secured therein to the block 1, as by means of glue, or in any other suitable manner. It will be noted that theboundary line 5 of the mask 4 falls right onto the boundary line 5 of the recess 2, so that the adjoining surfaces of the mask and of the block are flush with one another and form the forehead of the improved hat block in simulation of a human head. As to the side boundary lines 6, they may follow the outlines 6 of the recess, at least adjacent the lines 5, 5,, so as to cause the adjoining surfaces of the mask and of the block to be flush with one another near the top of the mask, forming the cheeks 'of the :head structure, but, owing to the curved outlines 6, the lower portion of the mask'will not be flush with the block, and this maybe true along the entire length of thelines 6', a result; which in. no way detracts from the desired elfect.

that I do not wish to limit myself to these specific materials. Also, the portion of the finished hat block designated in the drawings by the numeral 4 need not be a mask but may be a solid block of suitable material having plane back surfaces corresponding to the surfaces of the recess 2. The recess 2 need not be rectangular, as shown in the drawings, but may be formed by plane surfaces inclined to one another at any desired angle. These and other modifications of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and need not be further enumerated.

I claim:

1. The combination with a hat block having a complete cranium forming top portion and a recess in the front portion, of an insert simulating a human face fitted into said recess and secured to said block.

2. In combination, a hat block having a complete cranium forming top portion and having its front lower portion cut away to form a recess, and a mask slmulating a human face secured to said block Within said recess. 3. A device for making hats, ccmprlslng a hatblcck having a complete cramum forming top porton and a recess in the front lower portion, and an insert simulating a human face secured to-said block within said recess, the surfaces of said insert and of said block being flush with one another at the upper boundary lines of said insert.

4. A device for making hats, comprising a hat block having a complete cranium forming top portion and a recess in the front portion, and a mask simulating a human face secured to said block within said recess, the surfaces of-said'block and of said mask being flush-with one another along as much of the boundary lines ofsaid mask as is necessary to give the device the appearance of a human head.

-5. A device for making hats, comprising a hat block having a complete cranium forming top portion of a material adapted to Withstand steaming and readily penetrable by an ordinary pin, a recess in the lower front portion of said block, and'an insert of not readily breakable material fitted into said recess and secured to-said block; said insert being formed to simulate a humanface.

6. 'A device for making hats, comprising a hat block of softwood-having a complete cranium forming top portion and a recess in the-front portion and a mask of compressed woodpulp fitting into said'recess and secured to said block.

In-testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JOSEPH BUXBAUM. 

